This invention relates to the field of clips and hangers. The invention is a device for suspending an article from a wall, and especially from a soft-core fabric-covered partition.
Various fasteners, made of a single strand of wire, have been known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,767,450 shows a device which combines the functions of a paper clip and a pin in a single-strand piece of wire. U.S. Pat. No. 4,664,350 shows a hanger which is especially designed for use with a soft-wall partition, the hanger also being formed of a single strand of wire. U.S. Pat. No. 1,690,074 discloses an all-wire pin-fastener which combines the piercing function of a pin with the grasping function of a clip. U.S. Pat, No. 1,843,703 shows a pin fastener formed of a single piece of wire. U.S. Pat. No. 2,642,638 shows a clip for sheet material, the clip including sheet-piercing prongs.
Other examples of fasteners formed primarily of a single strand of
wire are given in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,532,566, 1,340,180, 2,021,730, 1,619,265, and 1,252,862.
Soft-core partitions are commonly used to subdivide open spaces in offices. Such partitions are typically covered with a textile fabric or other soft, flexible covering material. Their cores may be formed of a soft plaster or plasterboard, or other similar material. It is thus not recommended to use nails, tacks, or conventional picture hangers with such partitions, because the nails or tacks are likely to damage the core and/or to fracture the fibers of the fabric. When a single nail is used to hang an article, substantially the entire weight of the article is concentrated at the point where the nail pierces the fabric, making it likely that the fabric will be torn, or that the core will be damaged, or both.
One problem with all-wire hangers is that their prongs are hazardous. A prong that is inserted into a fabric may also protrude out of the fabric. There is thus a risk that the prong will prick the user's hand, while the device is being inserted or adjusted.
The present invention solves the problems encountered in hanging or clipping articles from soft-core partitions. The invention provides a structure which minimizes the possibility of damage to the soft core of the partition, and to its covering layer. Also, the embodiment of the invention which includes a backer portion prevents injury to the user due to the sharp prongs. The invention can be used in many applications, in place of conventional picture hangers.